Controlling device for folder bars



S. L. CLUETT CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR FOLDER BARS Original Filed Oct. 21 92 2 Shasta-$31 061 l Sang oral. UZu/ew,

@ec. i924. 1,517,493

' s. L. CLUETT CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR FOLDER BARS Original Filed 001., 21 12-721 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 K I g 70 Z9- 1 I g ,e7 8 5/ v Z6: L l 27 g 0 5/ a}; a4 a2 Q Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

UNHED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

SANFORD L. CLUETT, O'F TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO CLUETT, PEABOIJY & 00., ING., OF TROY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR FOLDER BARS.

Original application filed October 21, 1921, Serial No. 509,383. Patent No. 1,446,156, dated February 20, 1923. Divided and this application filed January 12 1923. Serial No. 612,205.

T 0 all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, SANFORD L. CLUn'r'r, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Troy, in the county of Reusselaer and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Controlling Devices for Folder Bars, of which the following is a specification:

This invention concerns folding and pressing machines such as are commonly employed in the commercial production of collars and cuffs and relates more particularly to improved means for imparting the proper operative movements to the folding devices.

In machines of this type, and as illustrated for example in the patent to llaitland et a1, 713,230, November 11, 1902, the folder blades are mounted upon oppositely disposed pairs of aligned elongate blocks, each of such blocks being actuated by means of a pair of cranks or eccentric pins. The employment of so large a number of cranks is undesirable mechanically, and in order to reduce the number of these parts it has been proposed to connect adjacent ends of the blocks forming each of the bars by means of a slide member engaging aligned longitudinally extending guide slots in the blocks. lVhile the latter arrangement permits of reducing the number of cranks with a corresponding simplification of the driving mechanism, it is found in practice that the long slide member, when subjected to the wide variation in temperature occmring in a machine of this type, tends to bind in its guide way, quickly resulting in mutual wear of the parts which necessitates frequent replacement not only of the slide member but also of the entire bar, while the oil required to lubricate the slide member is V a source of frequent damage to the material operated upon. Moreover, the primary purpose in employing such a slide member is to maintain the two blocks comprising the bar in endwise alignment, and this precludes any possibility of imparting relatively different movements to the outer and inner ends of each block, although when operating upon certain classes of work, a capability of the mechanism to produce such action is highly desirable.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide for imparting movement to the folder blocks ina simple and mechanically efiicient manner and at the same time to permit of adjustable variation in the relative motions of the outer and inner ends of each of said blocks.

In accordance with the invention herein specifically disclosed cams are employed for guiding the inner ends of the. folder blocks, such cams having the proper configuration for imparting the desired movement to the blocks. These cams may also be arranged for independent adjustment relatively to the fixed frame of the machine so that their action in guiding the bars can be changed at will, and for securing a further variation in movement the cam followers may be adjustable lengthwise of the blocks. \Vith such an arrangement it is possible to vary both the transverse and longitudinal throw of each of the folder blocks through a wide range which makes it possible to employ the machine in folding a much greater variety of work than has usually been the case. The present application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 509,383, filed October 21, 1921 (patented February 20, 1923, No. 1,446,156). In the accompanying drawings there is exemplified means suitable for use in carrying the present invention into elfect, and in such. drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a folding and pressing machine of usual. type having folder bar guiding means constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away, and illustrating the mechanism in the position which it occupies at the completion of the folding operation Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view to larger scale illustratingdetails of the folder bar-controlling means;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modification.

The machine herein disclosed may be of the general type illustrated in the patent to Brown, 1,053,477, February 18, 1913, and the moving parts of the same may be actuated in the manner therein disclosed or in any other suitable way. The general arrangement of the machine as fully described in my co-pending application above referred to is as follows, reference being had particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the present drawings. The frame of the machine comprises the table-like support 1 having a longitudinally extending recess for the reception of the bed plate 2 upon which the niaterial is placed for folding Brackets 3 are secured to the rear of the frame, and an arm 4 supporting the die plate 5 is pivoted upon these brackets. Folder blades 6, T cooperate; with the die plate 5 andthese blades are carried by pairs of substantially aligned independent folder blocks 8, 9 and 10, 11, respectively. These folder blocks rest upon the upper surface of the table 1 and are guided and held in operative position with respect thereto by means of members such as 12, 13, 14. I

The reinote ends of the blocks 8, 9 are each provided with a bracket 15, 16 respectively, such brackets being furnished with suitable journal openings for the reception of cranks or pins 17, 18, respectively mounted upon the upper ends of vertical shafts 19, 20. These shafts may be actuated as set forth in the patent. to Brown, above referred to, or in any other suitable manner. 7

As indicated in Fig. 1-, the pins 17, 18 occupy the position which they assume at the beginning of the folding operation, the shafts turning during such operation in the direction indicated by the arrows in this figure until the pins occupy the positions shown in Fig. 2, and it is evident that the remote ends of the blocks 8, 9 are thus moved in predetermined paths of arciiate form. The blocks 10 and 11 and the means for guiding and moving them being identical with those employed in connection with blocks 8 and 9 need not be described specifically in detail. I

In accordance with the disclosure of my aforesaid appli cation. the adjacent ends of the blocks 8, 9 are guided in their movements by means of links pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the blocks and also having pivotal connection with a block or support secured in an adjustable manner to the table 1-.

In accordance with the present embodiment, on the other hand, each of the blocks 8, 9 is provided at its inner end with a slot 24 for the reception respectively of slide members 25, 26. These slide members are adjustably retained within the slots by means of bolts 27. At their inner extremities the slide members 25, 26 are furnished with pivot pins 28 upon which cam followor rolls 29 are journaled. These rolls are adapted to engage cam surfaces 30, 31, respectively, formed upon cam blocks 32. 3 3.

These blocks may, if desired, be fixed to the supporting table but are preferably provided with slots such as 34, 35 whereby they may be independently and adjustably secured to the table by means of bolts 36. Preferably the cam surfaces of these blocks are inclined to the longitudinal axes of the folding blocks as illustrated, and the. slots 34, 35 are perpendicular to the respective cam surfaces, the exact relative arrangement of the slots and the cam faces being nonessential to the operation of the device in general. Plates 37, 38 are secured respectively to the blocks 32, 33 by means of screws 39 and each of these plates serves for the attachment of one end of a tension spring 40, whose other end is connected to the corresponding folder block. These springs thu's serve to maintain the cam rolls in operative engagement with the cam surfaces of the res oec'tive blocks 32,

It being assumed that the remote ends of the folder blocks are moved in opposite directions in arcuate paths by means of eccentric pins or cranks in the manner shown in Fig. 1, the movement imparted to the blocks by such cranks or pins will be modified by the travel of the rollers 29 over the cam surfaces of the blocks 32, 3;. These cam surfaces may be of any desired configuration and as the cam blocks may be interchangeable with other cam blocks having differently disposed cam surfaces, the path of movement of the inner or adjacent ends of the folder blocks may be varied within very wide limits. The adjustable mounting of the cam blocks and of the cam follower rolls serves further to increase the range of variation in movement of the folder blocks.

In Fig. 5 a modification is illustrated wherein the table- 1 serves to support the folder blocks 8*, 9 whose remote extremities may be understood to be supported and. actuated in the same manner as the blocks 8, 9 of Figs. 1 and 2. These blocks 8", 9 are provided at their adjacent extremities with longitudinal slots in which slide members 4:2, respectively are adjustably held by means of bolts 44-. At their inner ends these slide members are provided with pins 45, upon which the cam follower rolls 47, 48 respectively are journaled. These follower rolls engage the cam slots 19, 50 of the blocks 51, Preferably these cam blocks 51, 52 are arranged for adjustment as bymeans of the slots 53, 5% and the bolts 55, thus providing for variation in the movement of the folder blocks as above described with respect to the devices shown in Figs. 3 and tt- In the device shown in F 5, however, the movement imparted to the follower rolls by the cam slots is positive in both directions so that it is unnecessary to provide springs for holding the foliower rolls in contact with the active cam elements. As herein disclosed both in Figs. 3 and the cam elements are mounted upon independent blocks and are independently adjustable, but it is contemplated that under some circumstances, it may be found desirable to arrange both of such cam elements upon a single block which may be adjustable or not as desired.

referring to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein a link is employed as the guiding means for the inner ends of the folder blocks, it is evident that the paths of movement of such ends must be along circular arcs, but by the employment of cam elements as hereinabove described, it is possible to prescribe any desired path of movement for the inner end of the folder block by using a cam of suitable configuration.

lVhile cam follower rolls have herein been disclosed as engaging the cam elements it is evident that any desired type of follower might be employed and it is further contemplated that the parts might be so reversed as to carry the cam elements upon the ends of the folder bars and to mount the cam followers or complemental cam elements upon fixed or adjustable blocks for engagement bythe moving cam elements.

Having thus described the invention in a preferred embodiment of the same together with the mode and use thereof, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A folding machine comprising a folder block, means for imparting movement to one end of said block in a predetermined path, and normally fixed cam means for guiding the opposite end of the block for movement in a path of different configuration.

2. A folding machine comprising a folder block, eccentric means for imparting movement to one end of said block in a cir cular path, and normally stationary means for guiding the opposite end of said block in a substantially straight path.

3. A folding machine comprising a folder block, means for imparting movement to one end of said block in an arcuate path having a fixed radius of curvature, and means providing a normally fixed substantially rectilinear cam element inclined to the longitudinal axis of the block for guiding the opposite end of said bar to move in a predetermined path.

a. A machine of the class described comprising a movable folder block, means constraining one end of said block to move in a predetermined path, and normally fixed but adjustable cam means constraining the other end of the bar to move along a path inclined to the axis of the bar.

5. A folding machine comprising a folder block, driving means for moving one end of said block in a fixed path, an adjustable normally fixed cam element, and means carried by the opposite end of the block and engaging the cam element for determining the path of movement of said latter end in accordance with the position of the cam element.

6. A machine ofthe class described com prising an elongate folder block, means for moving one end thereof, a. member adjustable longitudinally of the block adjacent to its opposite end, a cam follower carried by said adjustable member, and a normally fixed cam element engageable with said follower for guiding said latter end of the bar.

7. A folding machine comprising a folder block, means for movin one end thereof, the opposite end of the blood: having an elongate slot therein, a slide member adjustably secured in said slot, a cam follower carried by said slide member, and a normally fixed block provided with a cam element engageable with said follower.

8. A folding machine comprising a folder block, means for moving one end thereof in an arcuate path, a cam roll mounted upon the, other end of the block, a normally fixed cam element with which said roll engages, and means for insuring engagement of the roll and cam element.

9. A folding machine comprising a folder block, means for imparting movement to one end thereof, a normally fixed cam block having a cam groove therein, and a cam roll carried by the opposite end of the folder block and positioned within said groove.

10. A folding machine comprising an elongate folder block supported adjacent to one of its ends, a cam follower carried by the opposite end of the block, a normally fixed member having a cam face inclined to the longitudinal axis of the folder block and engageable with the follower, and means for moving said block along a path intersecting said inclined cam face. i

11. A folding machine comprising an elongate folder block, means for imparting movement; to one end thereof, a cam follower carried by the opposite end of the folder block, a block having a cam face inclined to the axis of the folder block and engaging the cam follower, said cam block having a slot therein extending substantially perpendicularly to the cam face, and a bolt engaging said slot for adjust-ably securing the cam block in position.

12. A folding machine comprising a support, a pair of substantially aligned folder blocks movable relatively to the support, means for moving the remote ends of said blocks in opposite directions, a slide member adjustable longitudinally of each block at the adjacent ends thereof, a cam follower roll carried by each slide member, and normally fixed cam elements engageable with Ill) the respective rolls for guiding the adjacent ends of the folder blocks.

13. A folding machine comprising a support, a pair of substantially aligned folder blocks movable relatively thereto, means for moving the remote ends of said blocks in determinate paths, a cam follower carried by each block at adjacent ends thereof, 

